(Phoenix) – The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health – (ADOSH) Consultation Department presents Kitchell, as a “STAR Site” through the Construction Voluntary Protection Program “C-VPP.” Companies and jobsites that are awarded the STAR designation demonstrate exemplary and comprehensive safety and health management systems.

On Friday, May 15 at 9 a.m., ADOSH will hold a VPP Ceremony, where Kitchell will be awarded the STAR designation and be presented with the VPP plaque and flag. During the ceremony, David Parker, chairman of the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA); Michael Sanders, commissioner of ICA; Bill Warren, director of ADOSH and Jessie Atencio, assistant director of ADOSH will speak on the significance of a VPP achievement and its importance to the State of Arizona.

“Safety is built into the culture of Kitchell,” said Jessie Atencio, assistant director and consultation and training program manager for ADOSH. “They don’t just go through the motions, but really take ownership of their safety and the health and safety of those around them.”

VPP is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) highest program of recognition across the United States. It recognizes employers and workers in private and federal workplaces who have exemplified effective safety and health management systems to achieve injury and illness rates that are more than 50 percent below the national average.

“Though our business spans a wide range of services in the built environment, safety is ingrained in our culture, encompassing every facet of our organization from construction job sites to desk positions in our IT department,” said Kitchell CEO Jim Swanson. “When we undertook the effort to obtain VPP designation we knew it would be a collaborative effort so we’ve left no stone unturned with regards to safety and health.”

To qualify for VPP status, employers must submit an application to OSHA and undergo an onsite evaluation by a team of safety and health professionals. VPP participants and sites earning the “STAR Site” designation are re-evaluated every three to five years in order to remain in the program. VPP participants are exempt from OSHA programmed inspections while they maintain their VPP status.

Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) operates under an approved plan with the U.S. Department of Labor to retain jurisdiction over occupational safety and health issues within Arizona, excluding mining operations, Indian Reservations, and federal employees. This jurisdiction encompasses approximately 2.1 million employees and 130,000 public and private establishments. For more information on ADOSH, Consultation Partnership Programs and the Industrial Commission of Arizona, please visit http://www.ica.state.az.us/ or call (602) 542-5795.

We’ve been creating in-depth, personally crafted campaigns to reach benchmarked milestones and goals since 1980. While the tools of our trade have evolved over the years, our strategies remain unwavering.